# Educational Shoe Shops The New Balance Experience Store Provides a Valuable History Lesson By Alex Scott | Published 2010-03-12 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-balance-experience-store References: [swipelife](http://swipelife.com/2010/03/10/new-balance-opens-shanghai’s-first-experience-store) & [newbalance](http://newbalance.com) The first of its kind in Shanghai, the New Balance Experience Store is so much more than just a retail outlet. With brick walls, old antique phones, big chandeliers and turn-of-the-century windows and cabinets, this shop resembles more of a heritage museum than a place to buy kicks. Much more than just a pretty cover though, the New Balance Experience Store offers up some interesting facts about the beginnings of their company as well as pieces of info on the origins of the running shoe. I'm pretty sure I'd have the urge to smoke a cigar and drink some brandy if I set foot in there. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 25% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Retail Museum Experiences:** Opportunity for retail stores to create immersive experiences that educate and entertain customers while showcasing brand history. - **Heritage-inspired Store Design:** Increasing demand for retail spaces that incorporate nostalgic elements to create unique and memorable shopping experiences. - **Branded Historical Information:** Brands can capitalize on storytelling by providing customers with interesting facts and stories about the origins of their products. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Retail:** Retailers can enhance customer engagement and drive foot traffic by creating immersive, educational store experiences. - **Interior Design:** Demand for interior designers who can create retail spaces that blend modern functionality with nostalgic and historical elements. - **Branding and Marketing:** Brands can leverage storytelling and historical information to create emotional connections with customers and differentiate themselves in the market. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Experiential Running Shoe Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sportsshoes.md) - [Branded Newspaper Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grey-days.md) - [Pop-Up Recovery Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nikes-soup-shop.md) - [Dynamic Running-Focused Retail Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-running-the-corner.md) - [Plush Footwear Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-monster-den.md) - [Sneaker-Inspired Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jerry-haha.md) - [Next-Gen Sneaker Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/store-of-the-future-concept.md) - [Phygital Sportswear Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-style.md) - [Colorfully Immersive Retail Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/athletic-propulsion-labs-store.md)